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Review: Poisoned Iris by Cindy Mezni

(I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.)

Athens was once the cradle of civilization. Now it's slowly but surely becoming the tomb of humanity.

The Red Plague, a violent virus which had run rampant decades ago, left its imprint on the planet and the flesh of men. All that remains of the modern world is an endless wasteland of ruins—Erebos—and two cities—Elysion, the obscure island of the Non-Infecteds about which no one knows a thing, and, Tartaros, the crumbling town of the Infecteds where despair, hatred, violence and poverty are the operative words.

And at the heart of this universe lives Irisya, a sixteen-year-old Non-Infected girl, staying recluse in her home to be safe and relying on her brother, Memphis, for everything.

But then, one day, he disappears without a trace.

Irisya has no choice. To save him, to survive, she will have to brave all the dangers of the outside world.

Irisya, the protagonist is a non infected living among the infected. She knows that if her secret comes out, she'd be killed by the hordes of infected. She is scared and worried but throughout the story she is loyal and faces fear in the eye. This was what I liked about her the most. Her love for her brother and subsequently her new friends is what drives her throughout the story.

Gem, Cillian and Irisya's brother Memphis are characters I loved but can't really talk about without giving away aspects of the story. They all played important roles in the story and every character was three dimensional

Gabriel is a little boy and a minor character but captured my heart so wonderfully. He doesn't talk but conveys his feelings through his art. He's misunderstood by many but despite everything he has faced in life, he's a sweet kid with a huge heart. The author has portrayed him so beautifully and he will definitely leave a lasting impression on readers.

The plot was complex and I really enjoyed the world building. There were parts when I was confused but things were explained real soon. The world is split in two after The Red Plague - The infected and the non-infected. Irisya and her brother are non-infected living among the infected. They could be killed or worse if the people around them found out who they truly are.

When Memphis goes missing, his sister decides to look for him. The story is about the path that Irisya takes to get back her brother. It is not an easy path and there are adventures and horrors happening on every page.

The writing was descriptive but confusing at parts. At times I had to reread certain sentences to understand what was happening. Other than that, I found the writing quite expressive. It was good that any mistakes in writing did not hinder the progression of the story in any manner.

- The characters

- The Plot

- The diversity

- The writing at some parts

Wonderful and flawed characters who come together to form a complex and intriguing story set in a harsh post-apocalyptic world.